Your Google Home speaker is now also an intercom

The new addition allows you to push messages or reminders across a network of Home devices to mimic an in-home intercom system.

So rather than calling up to kids that dinner is about to be served, or getting them to wake up for school, Google Home can pass the message on. To activate it, simply say “Ok Google, broadcast…” and then add the desired message. (For a dinner time reminder, the device will a ring a bell on connected Homes.)

It’s cute in theory but, if your kids are anything like mine (and me when I was younger, for that matter), the broadcast will likely only serve as a warning that an adult is about coming up to nag unless you get out of bed, or come down for dinner right now. Still, that’s something to advance a first-world problem.